[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 70 (Thursday, April 11, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14642-14643]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-07214]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
 appearing in this section.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 70 / Thursday, April 11, 2019 / 
Notices  

[[Page 14642]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2018-0061]


Notice of Availability of Proposed Changes to the National 
Poultry Improvement Plan Program Standards

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that proposed changes to the 
National Poultry Improvement Plan Program Standards are available for 
review and comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before May 
13, 2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2018-0061.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2018-0061, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    The proposed standards and any comments we receive may be viewed at 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2018-0061 or in our 
reading room, which is located in Room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 
14th Street and Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC. Normal reading 
room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 
799-7039 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Denise Heard, DVM, Senior 
Coordinator, National Poultry Improvement Plan, VS, APHIS, USDA, 1506 
Klondike Road, Suite 101, Conyers, GA 30094-5104; (770) 922-3496; 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Poultry Improvement Plan 
(NPIP), also referred to below as ``the Plan,'' is a cooperative 
Federal-State-Industry mechanism for controlling certain poultry 
diseases. The Plan consists of a variety of programs intended to 
prevent and control poultry diseases. Participation in all Plan 
programs is voluntary, but breeding flocks, hatcheries, and dealers 
must first qualify as ``U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean'' as a condition 
for participating in the other Plan programs.
    The Plan identifies States, flocks, hatcheries, dealers, and 
slaughter plants that meet certain disease control standards specified 
in the Plan's various programs. As a result, customers can buy poultry 
that has tested clean of certain diseases or that has been produced 
under disease-prevention conditions.
    The regulations in 9 CFR parts 56, 145, 146, and 147 (referred to 
below as the regulations) contain the provisions of the Plan. The 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA) amends these provisions from time to 
time to incorporate new scientific information and technologies within 
the Plan.
    In the past, APHIS has updated the regulations once every 2 years, 
following the Biennial Plan Conference of the NPIP General Conference 
Committee. The NPIP General Conference Committee advises the Secretary 
on poultry health and represents cooperating State agencies and poultry 
industry members. During its meetings and Biennial Conferences, the 
Committee discusses significant poultry health issues and makes 
recommendations to improve the NPIP.
    However, while changes in diagnostic science, testing technology, 
and best practices for maintaining sanitation are continual, the 
rulemaking process can be lengthy. As a result, the regulations have, 
at times, become outdated. To remedy this problem, we determined that 
we needed a more flexible process for amending provisions of the Plan. 
On July 9, 2014, we published in the Federal Register (79 FR 38752-
38768, Docket No. APHIS-2011-0101) a final rule \1\ that, among other 
things, amended the regulations by removing tests and detailed testing 
procedures, as well as sanitation procedures, from part 147, and making 
these available in an NPIP Program Standards document. The rule also 
amended the regulations to provide for the Program Standards document 
to be updated through the issuance of a notice in the Federal Register 
followed by a period of public comment. The latter change was intended 
to enable us to make the NPIP program more effective by allowing Plan 
provision updates without the need for rulemaking.
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    \1\ To view the final rule and related documents, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2011-0101.
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    We are advising the public that we have prepared updates to the 
NPIP Program Standards document. The proposed updates would amend the 
standards by:
     Adding and amending definitions of H5/H7 low pathogenicity 
avian influenza (LPAI) (exposed) and H5/H7 LPAI (infected);
     Clarifying and amending the testing protocol for 
Mycoplasma;
     Allowing use of molecular-based examination procedures to 
screen for Mycoplasma;
     Removing specific agar gel immunodiffusion Avian Influenza 
testing procedures with directions to use the current National 
Veterinary Services Laboratories protocol;
     Amending and clarifying salmonella isolation procedures;
     Updating and clarifying bacteriological examination 
procedures for cull chicks and poults for salmonella;
     Adding a new salmonella diagnostic test kit;
     Removing outdated testing procedures for the sanitation 
monitored program;
     Updating and clarifying hatching egg and hatchery 
sanitation requirements;
     Updating and clarifying flock sanitation procedures;
     Updating and clarifying cleaning and disinfecting 
procedures;
     Adding new dealer sanitation requirements;
     Updating and clarifying compartmentalization language as 
well as amending and clarifying audit guidelines and checklists; and

[[Page 14643]]

     Adding Newcastle disease virus compartmentalization 
physical requirements for an egg depot receiving/shipping dock.
    After reviewing any comments we receive on the proposed updates, we 
will publish a second notice in the Federal Register announcing our 
decision regarding the proposed changes.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with section 3507(d) of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the information collection 
requirements included in this notice will be approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB control number 0579-0007.

E-Government Act Compliance

    The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is committed to 
compliance with the E-Government Act to promote the use of the internet 
and other information technologies, to provide increased opportunities 
for citizen access to Government information and services, and for 
other purposes. For information pertinent to E-Government Act 
compliance related to this notice, please contact Ms. Kimberly Hardy, 
APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851-2483.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 8301-8317; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 5th day of April 2019.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-07214 Filed 4-10-19; 8:45 am]
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